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Mark 14

After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.

And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.

And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?

And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.

And they all forsook him, and fled.

And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:

And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,

We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

But neither so did their witness agree together.

And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.

But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.

And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.

But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.

And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

What does Mark 14:1 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 14:1 refers to the time immediately preceding the arrest of Jesus Christ. It sets the stage for the forthcoming narrative of the Passion, the period encompassing Jesus's trial, suffering, crucifixion, and ultimately, his death.

This verse specifically mentions "the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread," which is a Jewish holiday commemorating the Exodus, the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

The reference to "two days" indicates the proximity of this major event. The Passover feast was a significant annual occasion, and Jesus's last Passover would become known as The Last Supper, a foundational event in Christian tradition.

The second half of the verse describes how "the chief priests and the scribes," who were influential figures within the Jewish religious hierarchy, were plotting to arrest Jesus in a stealthy or cunning manner ("by craft").

These leaders wanted to put him to death because they viewed his teachings and his growing influence as a direct threat to their authority and the established religious order.

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Historical Context

Mark 14:1 is set in Jerusalem during the time of Roman occupation, in the first century CE.

The chief priests and scribes mentioned here were part of the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish judicial and religious council.

They were responsible for maintaining temple rituals and had significant social and political influence.

During this period, the Jewish people were anticipating a Messiah, a prophesized deliverer.

However, the religious authorities felt threatened by Jesus's interpretation of the Law and his criticism of their practices, fearing it could lead to social unrest or provoke Roman intervention.

The feast of Passover, a pivotal annual celebration marking Israel's deliverance from Egyptian oppression, provided a crowded and tense backdrop for the events that led to the crucifixion of Jesus.

Theological Insights

This verse provides a foundation for several theological insights.

From a Christian theological perspective, the conspiracy to kill Jesus can be seen as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies regarding the suffering of the Messiah (such as in Isaiah 53).

Theologically, Jesus's death is viewed as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity, echoing the Passover lamb's sacrificial symbolism.

Additionally, this indicates the concept that Jesus's death was part of a divine plan, rather than merely the result of political machinations. The "craft" with which the religious leaders sought to take Jesus suggests a deeper, spiritual warfare at play, between the forces of good and evil.

Practical Applications

The verse invites believers to reflect on the importance of integrity and transparency in contrast to manipulation and deceit.

The chief priests' and scribes' actions are given as an example of how not to behave.

It may also encourage practical applications such as standing firm in one's convictions despite opposition or adversity.

Furthermore, it serves as a reminder of the significance of Jesus's sacrifice, urging followers to consider the depth of commitment they are willing to show in their own life of faith, especially during trials.

Cross-References

Strongly related verses from the King James Version include:

Matthew 26:2: "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified."
Luke 22:1-2: "Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people."

John 11:53: "Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death."
Exodus 12:14-18: Describes the institution of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek from which the KJV translates Mark 14:1 are of particular interest:

Passover (πάσχα - pascha): Referring to the Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt.
Unleavened bread (ἄζυμος - azymos): Pertaining to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when Jews eat bread made without yeast in remembrance of the haste with which they left Egypt.
Sought (εζήτουν - ezētoun): Conveys an active search or plan, implying deliberation and intent.
Craft (δόλῳ - dolō): Suggests deceit, trickery, or underhanded tactics.
Death (θανατῶσαι - thanatōsai): Translates directly to "put to death," indicating the intention of killing Jesus.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The plotting against a religio-cultural hero is not unique to Christianity.

Comparably, in other ancient traditions, there are stories of gods or heroes who face opposition from established powers.

For instance, in Greco-Roman myth, figures like Prometheus or Socrates were met with hostility for defying the status quo.

Moreover, the motif of a sacrificial figure who dies and is resurrected or becomes a source of some liberation or salvation for a community is a common theme across various religions and mythologies.

Scientific Perspectives

While there isn't much direct intersection between this religious narrative and scientific perspectives, the historical observance of the Passover feast might be of interest to anthropologists and historians studying the evolution of cultural rituals and their significance in shaping group identity and social cohesion.

Additionally, psychological studies on group dynamics might provide insight into the motives of the religious authorities, who possibly felt their social power structure was under threat by Jesus's new movement.

Commentaries

Modern biblical scholars and commentators have varied interpretations of Mark 14:1:

Some see the verse as emphasizing the contrast between the celebratory nature of the upcoming feast and the sinister intentions of the Jewish authorities.
Others reflect on the leaders' choice of 'craft' to highlight the treacherous and deceptive manner in which Jesus was ultimately arrested and condemned, drawing moral lessons from their behavior.
There is also discussion on how Mark's narrative structure builds suspense by juxtaposing the impending festival with the plot against Jesus, which helps to illustrate the inevitable path toward the crucifixion, understood as a divine plan unfolding.

Overall, commentaries often use this verse to explore themes of conspiracy, betrayal, and the unfolding of divine prophecy.

Mark 14

Mark 14

What does Mark 14:1 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 14:1 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?